Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Irish Car-Bomb Cupcakes

My first experiences with baking with alcohol was through my Champagne Frosting adventures (more to come on that subject later), and then just recently with my white wine frosting. I’ve never tried to bake it in, but I recently came across a recipe from the Craving Chronicles and decided to use it in conjunction with a Bailey’s Whipped Cream Frosting from the Cupcake Project.

At first bite, the cupcakes were quite boozy! I’m hoping that as they settle they will get better. The Bailey’s Frosting was divine, I could eat it with a spoon, no cupcakes needed!

Update 10/6/11: The cupcakes were 100% better the next morning! The strong alcohol flavor has subsided and you are left with a subtle hint of Bailey's. The Ganache blended really well into the rest of the cake. Everyone loved them at work (took them to a staff meeting) and only have one or two left! If you are worried about the alcohol flavoring, or don't want to leave them in the fridge overnight, leave the whiskey out of the Ganache, that's where the strong flavor came from.

Ganache Filling
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey (I used Jameson, and had to buy some so now I have an almost full bottle in my cabinet!)

Step 2: Make the filling:
1. Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl.
2. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth.
3. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.

Step 3: Fill the cupcakes:
1. Let the Ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (I put mine in the freezer for about 5 minutes, stirred, then put back in freezer for 5 more minutes)
2. Cut a conical shape out of the cupcakes
3. Put the Ganache into a piping bag, cut the corner off, and pipe into cupcakes
4. Remove excess cupcake from core, and replace the top